CLAMP: World of 'Cardcaptor Sakura' Creator Comes to Tokyo Museum

First formed in the mid-1980s, the creative collective CLAMP began creating original manga in 1987. Its publishing debut was in 1989 with a title named RG VEDA. By 1993, its lineup was consolidated to four members— Satsuki Igarashi, Nanase Ohkawa, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Mokona — who have been working together since then.

As an all-female collective, CLAMP is best known for storylines orientated towards teenage girls but has demonstrated remarkable versatility. It has ventured into male-orientated output and pre-teen readership. The group unifies its body of work through the use of cross-overs, in which characters from previous works appear in current projects. This has also given rise to the notion of a "CLAMP Universe."

*A video installation at the CLAMP exhibition. (Photo by Paul de Vries)*

Notable Works

CLAMP would frequently run projects of completely different styles simultaneously, showcasing an extraordinary capacity for range. Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, produced from 2003 to 2009 was an action packed production. xxxHolic, from 2003 to 2011, focussed on fantasy and the supernatural. The color schemes and composition styles of the two series were completely different.

CLAMP's most famous story is Cardcaptor Sakura. It is devoid of villains and deals with many of the gender and diversity issues of the present day, decades before they became topical. It also features a pre-teen heroine and is filled with love, kindness, and encouraging phrases. The popularity of the series is due to its capacity to appeal beyond the pre-teen demographic to a readership of all ages.

The exhibition at the National Art Center, Tokyo features over 800 illustrations. They are divided into seven sections within a cavernous exhibition gallery. The original illustrations are displayed at eye level.

Large reproductions of manga covers, and key illustration panels, are displayed on the upper walls. A highlight of the exhibition is a projection room in which three screens showcase the range of illustrations that CLAMP has produced.

*Manga illustrations at the CLAMP exhibition. (Photo by Paul de Vries)*

The Manga Art Form

The National Art Center, Tokyo, has a broad mandate that includes the introduction of topical but rarely exhibited artistic expression. It considers manga and animation, as well as "design, architecture, and fashion" to be fields of "artistic expression that the museum should address," as stated by Rei Yoshimura. She is a curator at the National Art Center Tokyo, and the curator of CLAMP EXHIBITION.

The National Art Center, Tokyo, began focusing on the manga and anime field in 2015 when it held the exhibition "Manga * Anime * Games from Japan." It also organized a highly successful exhibition titled "MANGA⇔TOKYO" in 2018 in France, which was then re-held in Japan. The current exhibition, however, is only the second solo exhibition of a manga creator, following "HIROHIKO ARAKI JOJO EXHIBITION: RIPPLES OF ADVENTURE" in 2018.

Appreciate the Culture, Beat the Heat

The exhibition is a must-see for fans who have grown up with the manga of CLAMP. And they have been making their way to the exhibition gallery in large numbers. A three-day reservation-only pre-opening session rapidly sold out. According to Yoshimura, "visitors are very attentive to each piece of artwork" and the amount of time they spend within the exhibition gallery is inordinately high.

*A "Cardcaptor Sakura" poster on the wall above many manga illustrations. (Photo by Paul de Vries)*

International visitors, who have been prominent in the gallery to date, are unlikely to be emotionally connected to the stories. Additionally, they may be unable to read the Japanese dialogue on the panels. The manga art form, however, is widely known and appreciated by non-Japanese, for whom the term "manga" rarely requires translation. CLAMP EXHIBITION, therefore is a wonderful opportunity for Japan's ever-expanding number of international guests to appreciate both the depth of Japanese manga and its reach into Japanese popular culture. As the exhibition will run through the heart of the summer, it is also the perfect opportunity to escape from the Tokyo heat.

Author: Paul de Vries

Find other reviews and articles by the author on Asia Pacific history on JAPAN Forward.